Northern Ireland Assembly Act 1973

2 The election

(1) The date of the poll for the election of members of the Assembly shall be appointed by the Secretary of State by order contained in a statutory instrument.

(2) The persons entitled to vote on that poll shall be those who would be entitled to vote on polls held on that date at a general election to the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

(3) Each vote in the poll shall be a single transferable vote, that is to say a vote—

(a) capable of being given so as to indicate the voter's order of preference for the candidates for election as members for the constituency, and

(b) capable of being transferred to the next choice—

(i) when the vote is not required to give a prior choice the necessary quota of votes, or

(ii) when, owing to the deficiency in the number of votes given for a prior choice, that choice is eliminated from the list of candidates.

(4) Every candidate at the election under this Act shall, in accordance with the provisions of an order under the following provisions of this section, make a deposit of £150, and the deposit shall be forfeited unless the candidate is elected, or the number of votes credited to him at any one or more of the stages of counting the votes exceeds a quarter of the quota needed to elect him.

(5) The Secretary of State shall have power by order to make any provision concerning the election under this Act, or any matter relating to the election, and in particular provision concerning—

(a) the intervals between the stages of the election,

(b) the form of declaration to be made by a candidate, the contents of nomination papers, and the taking of the poll,

(c) the method of voting, and the method of counting and transferring votes,

(d) the procedure on the death of a candidate,

(e) the questioning of elections, and

(f) corrupt and illegal practices, and the disqualifications to be imposed, in any part of the United Kingdom, for a corrupt or illegal practice in the election under this Act.

(6) An order made under subsection (5) above—

(a) may include any supplemental or incidental provisions, including provisions creating criminal offences,

(b) may apply, with any modifications or exceptions specified in the order, any of the provisions of the [1962 c. 14 (N.I.).] Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 or of any instrument made or having effect under that Act,

(c) shall be contained in a statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.